


TTTE Drabbles (Human AU)

by GarnetLuxray45



Category: Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends, Thomas the Tank Engine - All Media Types
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-05
Updated: 2019-07-17
Packaged: 2019-10-22 22:33:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 8,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17671352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GarnetLuxray45/pseuds/GarnetLuxray45
Summary: Welcome to my little Thomas AU where all these engines are humans. What shenanigans will they get into? Wait and see.Updates once a month!





	1. What a Lovely Night

**Author's Note:**

> Henry and Emily have the night off. But what to do with it?

The night was planned out and their schedules were open. The two friends were sitting on Henry’s couch, debating what to do. Henry and Emily had routinely made it their monthly night out where they would do whatever they desired.

“Wanna binge-watch a show and make fun of characters,” Emily asked, taking a sip of the wine she had brought.

“Whenever we do that, I get emotionally invested and you get bored,” Henry retorted. The tall woman laughed while Henry pouted before giggling in reply.

“Okay, okay, okay, what aboutttt… Oh! Karaoke,” she asked.

“Huh, haven’t done that since the James incident,” Henry pondered. He took a sip of wine and stared at the ceiling. The incident in question ended up getting James banned from the Kellsthope Karaoke Club for a few months.

“Come onnn, we haven’t done it in a while and I haven’t gotten the chance to show you some actual chords I can hit,” Emily pleaded. The green suited man looked back and with a sly grin went up to his room. He came down in his emerald green blazer and navy blue dress shirt.

“Well, if we want to on the town, may as well do it in style,” he replied with a coy smile. Emily couldn’t help but laugh.

“What would Gordon do if he saw you,” she asked through her laughing fit.

“He’d Love it like a Love song,” he retorted. Emily snickered at the pun and got up, downing the rest of her drink.

“Give me one sec,” she said as she ran into the closet. She appeared a few minutes later in, adorning a top hat and green suit with a gold bow tie. “Well, what are we waiting for?” The two laughed as they left for the club. The was going to be a night to remember.


	2. The Longest Wait

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harrison (Sir Handel) and Peter (Peter Sam) grieve over the departure of Dalton (Duke).

It had been years since the incident. And yet, it still felt like it happened yesterday. No one expected it, not even Harrison or Peter. Dalton. He was gone. Just like that.

“Why did he do it, why did he have to do it?”

“I don’t know, no one knows”

“But it was so unlike him”

“I know”

The two couldn’t believe it. One second they saw him, the next moment, a fire enveloped him and he was never seen again. Alive, at least. 

“Harrison”

“Yeah?”

“I miss dad”

“... I do to”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On the shorter side today but tomorrow, I've got a big piece for y'all. But for now, here's some sad stuff.


	3. A Tale of Two Sisters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Annie and Clarabel need to get to shelter and soon. Otherwise, it's a watery grave for both of them and a fragile addition.

“Oh would you hurry up already?” Annie complained.

“Oh hush will you, can’t have some hooligan to come and ruin the coaches now can we?” Clarabel replied snarkily. The rain was pouring hard outside and Annie was eager to get   
back to their house. With a satisfying click, the door was locked.

“Right then, let’s go,” Clarabel said. Opening the umbrella, the two sisters quickly bolted out of the yards. The weather grew worse, and the sisters knew they needed to get to a house quickly.

“Clarabel at this rate, we’ll be knee deep in water,” Annie said in a huff.

“Well, Katherine’s cottage is near by, we’ll ask if we could stay the night,” Clarabel replied, “We should hurry though, I don’t know if the umbrella will hold.” They walked in silence for a few minutes before Annie moaned.

“I know we’re wet and tried but you don’t need to whine,” 

“What are you talking about?”

“You were crying, weren’t you?”

“No?” The two stood for a second looking around.

“I think it’s coming from over there,” Annie replied. The two hurried over to see the horrid scene.

“Oh god, they’re dead!” Clarabel cried. Before them, a wrecked car with two limp bodies was floating in the middle of a river.

“Clarabel, there’s a child in there!” Annie yelled. The two hurried over to see a small baby, crying in the back seat. Annie pried the door open while Clarabel went and grabbed the child.

“Let’s go, at this rate, the poor dear will fall very ill,”

“Perish the thought,” and the two scurried away.

“Jim, could you pass me the dish towel?” Katherine asked.

“Of course dear,” he replied, handing the towel over. He looked outside, a down cast expression blanketing his face.

“What’s the matter dear, the rain doesn’t usually get you down,” Katherine inquired.

“Just the rain is so harsh today, it’s a good thing I got home early otherwise-” a sharp knock came at the door.

“Katherine Kyndley, it’s Annie and Clarabel!” the two sisters cried.

“Oh coming!” she exclaimed, rushing to the door. She saw the two sisters accompanied by the sight of a small child. “What happened?! Where did he come from?!”

“We’ll explain later, we need to wrap the dear up before he gets sick,” Annie replied. Jim and Katherine went and got the sisters fresh clothing and wrapped the small boy in a small blanket. A half hour later, the three ladies were sitting in the living room, contemplating what the next course of action was.

“So, the car had crashed into the lake and the two adults were already… gone by the time you got there?” Katherine asked.

“That’s the short of it, yes. The poor child was wailing so loud, we heard him from yards away,” Clarabel replied, rocking the baby slowly. Just then Jim walked into the room.

“I’ve alerted the police, they say they’ll try to get there once the weather’s lightened up,” he said.

“Oh that’s good dear, sit down now, not much else we can do as of right now,” Katherine replied, a weak smile plastering her face.

“I don’t think so, we all need sleep, especially you three,” Jim replied, “Come now, let’s get you all ready for bed.” The sisters fell asleep in the guest room, with the small boy   
cradled between the two of them.

A few days later, Annie and Clarabel were taking care of the baby. The authorities had come and dealt with the alleged parents of the infant. The pair had legal custody of the child and were adjusting to being parents.

“He needs a name Annie,”

“I know but what name?” Annie wondered aloud.

“What about Thomas?” Clarabel said.

“Thomas, I like it,” Annie replied, tickling the tiny child. He giggled in response. “What do you think, you like Thomas?” The baby clapped his hands together, a giggle accompanying the response.

“All right then, Thomas it is!” Clarabel clapped, “Oh, we need to throw a party!”

“Of course, it’ll be like a baby shower,” Annie replied. And thus plans were made. A small party was thrown, only a few people coming. The Kyndleys came with a small crib they made, their friend Edward, a young driver, had brought a few baby clothes, and the head of the railway board and his wife, Topham Hatt and Jane Brown, bringing a check along with a few baby books. The Kyndleys, Annie, and Topham talked about the situation while Clarabel, Edward, and Jane played with the small baby. Once the party ended, the two sisters sat down.

“Clarabel, do you think he’ll be scarred by this?” Annie asked concerned.

“We’ll tell him when he’s ready, besides, our duty for right now is to love him and protect him,” Clarabel replied, “After all, he’s our number one priority now.” Annie sat down next to Clarabel. The two looked at each other and then at the baby. He looked up and smiled, babbling something. The two smiled and all of them gathered for a family hug. Family, that’s what they were and that’s how it was going to say.


	4. Good Grief

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Toby likes Henrietta and wants to ask her out. But he's a nerd so he needs some help.

A gentle breeze blew through the station platform. It was 6:35 P.M. and the final goods for the day had been delivered. A small tram trundled into a shed and let off a weesh of steam. A man stepped down from the cab and mopped his forehead.

“Well that’s another days work done,” he said to himself, closing the doors and heading to gather his things. The station was quiet with only the sound of the stationmaster and guard chatting in the front room.

“‘Ello Toby. Want to stay for a bit?” the stationmaster asked.

“I suppose I could spare a few minutes,” he replied walking over. The guard coughed and reached for her bag

“Well gentlemen, I should get going, it’s getting late,” the guard said and walked away.

“G’night Henrietta!” the stationmaster called, as she walked out for the night. Toby sighed. “I take it you still haven’t told her yet,”

“What do I have to do Jim? There’s no good time to ask,”

“No time like the present, mate”. Toby gave him a sour look.

“How’d you do it, Jim?” Toby asked, dejected. The old stationmaster smiled, sighing.

“Toby, my good chap, all you need is you, her and a nice outing. Besides, half your work is done already.”

“What do you mean?” The young adult asked. Jim laughed.

“You can’t be that dense Toby, she obviously likes you,” he smiled. Toby was about to respond but then thought for a minute. Now that he thought about it, he had noticed a few coy glances exchanged between them. He smiled but frowned again.

“What if she says no,” he asked, slumping against the table.

“Well that’s the worst that’ll happen, not like she’d throw you into the bay,” Jim teased. Toby sighed but then an idea flew into his head

“Hey Jim, listen. I need your help with something,” and the two talked for hours before finally retiring for the evening.

 

It was a cool fall evening. Henrietta was gathering her things before leaving for the night. Oddly enough, Jim nor Toby were in the station.

‘Hmm, probably had to close early today. It is a Sunday.’ she thought. She walked out of the small office and then stopped. On the ground was a piece of paper. She picked it up and saw writing on the crumpled up letter. Hello, my dear. Don’t leave so soon. Meet me at the picnic bench near the lake. Puzzled, Henrietta hopped onto her bike and set off down the dirt road.

About half an hour later, Henrietta arrived near the lakeside. The soft sound of a piano and violin were carried on the breeze. She peered into the distance, noticing the dancing of lights. 

‘What is going on?’ she thought walking over. The closer she got, the familiar tune of a song came into earshot.

The look of love  
Is in your eyes  
A look your heart can't  
Disguise

“Toby?” The young man looked up from his small instrument and smiled, not stopping. 

The look of love  
Is saying so much more than  
Just words could every say  
And what my heart has heard  
Well it takes my breath away

A second voice joined. She looked over to the piano, noticing Jim. A smile curled up around her lips, finally understanding what was going on.

I can hardly wait to hold you  
Feel my arms around you  
How long I have waited  
Waited just to love you  
Now that I have found you

You've got the look of love  
It's on your face  
A look that time can't erase  
Be mine, tonight

Let this be just the start of  
So many nights like this  
Let's take a lovers vow  
And seal it with a kiss

Henrietta, noticing the song coming to a certain part, joined as well.

I can hardly wait to hold you  
Feel my arms around you  
How long I have waited  
Waited just to love you  
Now that I have found you

Don't ever go

I can hardly wait to hold you  
Feel my arms around you  
How long I have waited  
Waited just to love you  
Now that I have found you  
Don't ever go  
Don't ever go  
I love you sooo

Toby and Henrietta looked each other in the eyes, not quite knowing what to say next. Finally, the young man spoke.

“Henrietta, I’ve known you for a few years now but I know that I’m so glad to have you as a friend. But…”

“It wasn’t enough, was it?” she finished. He looked up at her, tears welling up.

“Henrietta, would you be my girlfriend, to be my closest friend and ally, no matter what hardships we go through, no matter how mad or sad we are with each other, be by my side.” Silence followed the statement, with only a soft breeze breaking it.

“Close your eyes,” was all she said. He looked up, nodded and closed them. And that was all it took. Henrietta wrapped her arms around his head and a kiss was placed. Toby opened his eyes, tears streaming down his face. The two looked at each other and the kiss was reignited, with giggles and tears exchanged between the two. They fell to the ground, lying in the brush by the lake, the moonlight and candles dancing around them. Jim looked on from his piano, smiling.

“Good grief took you long enough,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song they're singing is The Look Of Love by Nina Simone. Hope yah liked it!


	5. Letters From Afar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a cold winter morning and Percy's missing his love. But a few letters have caught his attention.

It was a cold winter morning. Frost littered the ground and the last leaves of fall were falling to the ground. Percy walked into the post office, fumbling with keys to the boxes. The 20-year-old yawned, the post train was a big responsibility but would it kill them to push the train to a little later in the day. He looked into the mail slot but before he could grab it, a voice called out. “Oy, Percy! You got some letters!” Harold called.

“Really? From who?” he questioned.

“Uh, it’s hard to read the name, but it looks like they’re all from the same person,” Harold replied. “Anyway, I’ve got to head out. The helicopter needs to be fitted with a new windshield wiper, snow and all that.” Percy nodded and waved as the pilot walked out of the post office. He picked up the letters and looked at the smudged writing and a wide smile spread across his face. Gator! He eagerly unwrapped the envelopes and a smattering of pictures and letters sprawled across the table. Percy looked on in amazement but then frowned. ‘Oh right, I have a job to do.’ At that moment, Thomas walked in.

“Hey Percy, what’s up?” He waved.

“I’m in love but the world won’t let me indulge in it,” Percy muttered from his desk and explained his dilemma.

“Well, I did hear that Edward was free maybe he could help,” Thomas mentioned. Percy perked up.

“Do you think he could?” he asked.

“Couldn’t hurt to ask,” Thomas replied, dialing the number. “Hello? Hi, Edward... I’m good... Listen, I hate to be a bother, but could I ask a favor... You see Percy had something come up and we need someone else to take over the post train... You can? Thanks, Edward, you’re the best.” A beep sounded indicated the end of the call. “Well, Percy. It appears that you have the night off,” he remarked, shooting his friend a sly grin. Percy screamed with joy. He scrambled to collect the letters and pictures, yelled a thank you to Thomas and ran out the door. Thomas smiled, looked back and almost screamed. Percy had left piles of letters on the floor. “This is what I do for love,” he muttered, starting the cleanup.

Percy practically knocked down the door to the apartment. “Jesus Christ, Percy be careful,” Toby yelped upon hearing the noise.

“SorryTobyurgentstuffwillbecarefullaterbye!” Percy yelled as he ran into his room.

“What has gotten into him?” Toby muttered.

“Best guess, love,” Henrietta replied. The two exchanged a look and chuckled. Percy threw his bag against the chair in the corner of his room and hopped onto the bed. He lay the various pictures out and admired in awe. The pictures showed scenes of vibrant places. Oceans, forests, and savannas all were captured in vivid detail. Some pictures had him in it, others didn’t. And the ones that did have him, god he looked like he was having the time of his life. A couple of tears fell from the postman, missing his boyfriend. Wiping away his tears, he looked towards the letters. His signature penmanship danced across the pages.

‘Hello my love, I know I couldn’t be around for Christmas but I thought I could send a few memoirs. I figured these could make a nice present. Each letter has a first-hand account of the place along with a poem, cause you love those so much! Hope this letter catches you in good health and be on the lookout for a package with a few trinkets from around the world.’  
-With Love,  
Gadiel

Percy sighed, falling back into his bed, squeezing the letters. At that moment, a knock was heard at the door. “Who is it?”

“It’s me, Percy,” said Toby as he opened the door.

“What is it?” Percy asked, slightly annoyed at the interruption.

“Um, we got a package, the postman just needs your signature,” Toby replied. Percy perked up and stumbled out of his bed.

“I’ll be right there!” he said. He hid the letters away in his drawer and walked towards the door.

“Package for Percy,” said the man. Percy was about to respond before he actually looked at the man, recognition dawning.

“Gator?” the man lifted his hat, a warm smile on his face.

“Hello, mi Amor, it’s been a while, hasn’t it?” Gadiel replied, his arms opened wide. Percy ran into his arms, and the two hugged while the snow fell, dancing around them. They spent the rest of the night, cuddling in Percy’s bed. Thomas and Edward walked into the apartment a few hours later.

“So did the surprise work?” Thomas asked.

“See for yourself,” Henrietta whispered, slowly opening the door. The two lovers were sound asleep, holding each other close. Thomas beamed.

“Alright then, everyone off to bed, we still have work tomorrow,” Edward whispered. The branch line staff nodded, waved goodbye to Edward, and soon all was silent. Little did they know that Percy had overheard them. He looked back at his love and hugged him tighter. This was a night for the books.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to clarify Gator and Gadiel are the same person. Gadiel is Gator's real name. I know it's not canon but god Gadiel suits him way more than Gerald.
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoyed this short story!


	6. Two Can Play At That

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bill and Ben are bored and James passes by. Things escalate.

Summer was a relatively busy time of year on the island. Well, unless you were Bill and Ben. The twins were off of school and work at the quarry had been slow. Naturally, it didn’t take long for them to get agitated.

“If we don’t do anything in the next minute, I’m gonna throw something,” Bill said bluntly. Ben groaned in agreement. The two teens lay in their room, trying and failing to come up with something to do. At last, Ben stood up, a mischevious glint in his eyes.

“Hey Bill, I think I’ve come up with the perfect plan,”

“What do you have in mind?” Bill questioned. Ben made his way over to the window and pointed outside. On the other side of the glass, a very familiar sight was walking towards Wellsworth. James was on his phone, chatting about something the twins couldn’t hear but didn’t care about. The teens looked at each other, a sly smile sneaking across their faces. The two started plotting the splendid man’s fate.

It had been a good day for James. His trains were on time, he heard compliments from both the passengers and the workmen and, as a reward, Sir Topham Hatt decided to give him the rest of the evening off. He was waiting on a park bench for Edward. He had asked James to wait at the bench for him. A small breeze blew past him and James closed his eyes. The peace didn’t last long. A rustling was heard behind him, causing him to look behind him. Nothing. ‘Eh, probably a squirrel,’ he thought, shutting his eyes again. However, more rustling and whispers were heard behind him. James opened his eyes, feeling both annoyed and scared. “All right, who’s there? I don’t appreciate urchins playing while I’m resting,” he exclaimed. Suddenly, he was bombarded by water balloons, his cries were drowned by the sound of splashing water and breaking plastic. After his attack was finished, he stood up, fuming.

“Well James, you’re one to keep up appearances, is this a new look?” Bill cackled.

“I’d call it Sad and Soaked,” Ben giggled. James stared daggers at the twins.

“Oh, just wait till I get my hands on you, you’ll-” but before he could finish, he slipped on the mud created from the onslaught. He fell face first, sending mud flying everywhere. The twins laughed even more, taking the chance to run back to the house. James lifted his head from the mud, growling with fury. At that moment, Bernard ran up.

“James, are you alright?” he asked, helping lift the man off the ground.

“If you call being tricked into a trap but two gremlins alright, then yes,” he muttered. He then explained the mess that had just happened. BoCo looked at him with sympathy.

“I’ll be sure Edward knows about this and gives them a good talking to,” he replied. James, however, looked at him, a grin on his face.

“Don’t tell him yet, I want a bit of revenge before I do that,” he said. BoCo listened carefully to the plan and preparation began.

The days passed and the twins were soon bored again. The heat wore on and now the only thing they could think about was finding shelter from the hellscape they were in. Ben groaned as he struggled to stand up. “Please God, be kind and let me rest without Satan trying to take me,”

“At this rate, he’ll take us along with the apartment,” Bill mumbled, his face stuck in the fridge. Just then, Edward walked in.

“Hello you two, enjoying our summer?” he asked knowingly. The twins could only groan from where they were. “Well, you’re in luck! There’s a small party happening at the park,”

“What’s there to celebrate, the sun’s unbearable,” Ben mumbled.

“BoCo’s got a surprise for you if you go,” Edward added. The twins perked up. They debated between themselves on whether to leave or not but it was soon decided that they would go enjoy themselves. They got cleaned up, put on sunscreen and walked out. Edward stayed behind, chuckling knowingly. 

The pair made it to the park, but no one was there. They looked around but saw nothing. “What’s going on?” Bill asked.

“How am I supposed to know?” Ben retorted. The two squabbled, debating on whether they wanted to stay and see this so-called ‘surprise’. Suddenly, the sky darkened above them and for a moment the twins stopped. They looked up and froze. There was James, holding a hose and BoCo, armed with water balloons.

“Well, well, well, what have we got here?” BoCo laughed.

“It appears to be two yellow birds in need of a drink,” James replied. “Here why don’t we help you out,” The balloons started to fall. Bill and Ben tried to run but ran into each other. They landed on the ground, the breaking of plastic and the splashing of water echoing around them. Suddenly, the sound stopped. The twins looked up, waiting for the next attack. But to their surprise, James jumped down and helped them up. 

“We’re sorry,” the twins said in unison. James smiled and looked back at where BoCo was sitting.

“I suppose I can forgive you after I beat you in a water fight!” James laughed. The twins looked at each other, then grinned.

“You’re on!” The teens geared up and went into battle. The teams fought, finishing a summer day on a high note.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have a break from romance, here's some Brendam Branch fun.


	7. Gordon, Duck and the Weeds Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Duck's going on vacation, but he's leaving his beloved plants behind. Duck must turn to an unlikely source for help. Now, it's all a matter of if they are willing to get along.

If you were to visit the home of Duck, you would know that he loves his garden. He prides himself on keeping everything prim, proper, and planned. From flowers to fruits, everything in his garden had a place. Except for weeds. Since he had been gardening for years, he knew how to take care of them, keeping the thorny foes at bay. So when Duck heard he was going to be away for a few weeks, a wave of concern flew over him.

“You did what?!” Duck exclaimed.

“I won tickets to Disneyland! You, me and the twins are going to California!” Oliver squeed, hopping up and down in excitement. Duck stood aghast.

“What about our jobs? Who’ll take care of the branch? We can’t just leave on such short notice!” he exclaimed.

“Stanley, Rosie, Molly, and Neville will be looking after the branch. And I’ve told them to talk to Toad for any questions on goods and for passenger work, Isabel and Dulcie,” Oliver soothed.

“What about the ballast runs? They don’t know how to handle those loads!”

“As I said, Toad will help with the goods runs,”

“But-”

“Duck! There’s nothing to worry about! I took care of all the arrangements and told Sir Topham Hatt. Now, go get your things, we’ve got a week before our flight!” Oliver hushed. With that, Oliver ran off to tell the twins. Duck was quick to worry once more. Usually, he would’ve called anyone on the branch to look after the plants. But seeing as half of them were going to be gone and the other half in leadership roles, it wasn’t a viable option. His mind raced, oh there had to be someone. ‘Hmm, maybe Edward could help?’ he thought as he went through his phone.

“Hello? This is Edward.”

“Hi Edward, it’s Duck. Could I ask a favor?”

“Oh of course Duck. What’s the matter?”

“Well, I’m going to be out on a trip for a few weeks and I was wondering if you could take care of my garden while I was gone. Could you?”

“Oh um. I’d love to help Duck but, there was an incident at the quarry and Ben ended spraining his foot, so I’m not really mobile at the moment,”

“Oh, I understand. I hope this isn’t too much to ask but do you know anyone that is readily available?”

“Well, let’s see. Well, Duck, the only person that I can think of that’s available is Gordon,” Duck didn’t respond for a moment. Gordon, the only readily available person? He’d have a better chance at leaving his plants in a desert. “Hello? Duck are you still there?” 

“Oh yes Edward, I’m still here,” 

“Well, should I ask him?” Duck thought a bit longer. Then, swallowing his pride, he did something he’d never thought he’d do.

“Yes, please call him,”

“Okay then. I’ll be sure to send him over before you leave!”

“Thanks, Edward, I’ll see you later!” Duck replied, hanging up the phone. He let out a long sigh and fell into a chair. What did I just do?

 

“You want me to do what?” Gordon spluttered.

“House sit Gordon. It’ll only be for a little while, just until Duck gets back,” Edward replied, cleaning up the back room.

“I most certainly won’t! I’ve got better things to do than look after a bunch of roots,” 

“Gordon, your timetables line up with Duck’s almost exactly. It’s not like you’ll have to cancel trains or break any rules to get it done,” Edward replied. Gordon groaned, sinking into the seat. At that moment, the door opened and Henry walked in.

“Hello, you tw- Oh Gordon what happened to you,” Henery asked, rushing to pick him off the ground.

“Oh don’t worry about him, he’s just acting like a child,” Edward replied, then filling Henry in on the situation.

“Why can’t Henry do it, he’s more versed in this field then I am!” Gordon accused.

“Well Gordon, if your willing to take care of the Kipper, I’d be glad to take care of the plants. Oh Edward, have you seen Duck’s tulips? They’re supposed to bloom around this time of year,” Henry replied.

“There you go, Gordon! If you take care of them well enough, you’ll be able to show Duck that you're good at taking care of the plants by helping his tulips bloom,” Edward affirmed. 

“There’s really no getting out of this is there?” Gordon grumbled. Edward and Henry gave each other a look before giggling at the poor state of Gordon. “You know what? I will do this, just to prove that I am capable of being a responsible friend,” And with that, he ran out of the building.

“So, how long till something dies?” Edward asked.

“Knowing my husband, I’d give him a week at most,” Henry chuckled.

“Awfully generous, don’t you think?”

“Ah well, only time will tell,”

 

Now, Duck wasn’t a judgemental person, but he did hold a bit of resentment towards Gordon. It wasn’t like he wanted to, but Gordon made it very hard to like him. He would’ve preferred a more agreeable person like Henry or Toby or even James. But Gordon? The two sat in the room, an awkward silence practically deafening the pair. At last, Duck found his voice. “Okay let’s just get to the point. Oliver, Douglas, Donald and I will all be taking a holiday to California for a few weeks. But since I’m not going to be here and my usual first choices are occupied in other matters, you’ll have to look after my plants,”

“Oh joy,” Gordon replied, his disinterest very apparent. Duck’s anger flickered for a brief moment but he retained his composure.

“Okay then, here’s what you need to know. It would take me much longer then I’d like to explain all of my treasures, so I’ve compiled them into this book,” Duck started, and held out the book to Gordon. Upon opening the book, Gordon saw the vast quantity of plants Duck owned. He had a small look of fright reading through them all.

“How am I supposed to keep track of all of them?! There’s well over fifty of these plants!” Gordon gasped.

“That’s why there’s a checklist I’ve provided in the back of the book. I’ve also accounted for any possible delays we may experience so even on the day we’re supposed to return, I’d appreciate it if you would show up,” Duck replied. Gordon replied with a confused look, still puzzling through the menagerie of colorful and unique plant life.”One last thing. All of the materials you’ll need will be in the garden shed and there’s a hose out back for water...Look, Gordon, I know we aren’t exactly close but I really do appreciate what you're doing,”

“Well, I’ve never really taken care of plants. But I do like a good challenge, maybe this is just something I never I was good at doing,” Gordon replied, a half smile on his face. Duck chuckled.

“I suppose this is just one of those moments! Anyway, it’s getting late and I’ve got a flight to catch tomorrow. You best be off if you want to be able to get some good sleep,” Duck sighed. Gordon agreed and the two went off in their separate ways. Duck closed the door and sighed, sliding to the floor. ‘He’s gonna be the reaper of death for my babies,” Duck thought. He pulled out his phone and took pictures of his plants, as a sort of last memory. 

“Duck! Did you get your bags? We’ve got to load em into the car!” Oliver yelled, cutting through Duck’s thoughts.

“Just a minute!” he replied. ‘No use dwelling on it now,’ he thought again and went to go finish gathering his belongings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Experimenting with a character pair right now and I'm loving it so far. Stay tuned for the next part of this tale!


	8. Gordon, Duck and the Weeds Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gordon starts his favor. Things go poorly.

“Henryyyy, I don’t wanna do thisss,” Gordon complained from other the covers. Henry snuggled up against him, stifling a laugh. The sun slowly made its way into the room, caressing the pair.

“Doesn’t matter, you made a commitment,” Henry yawned. Gordon grumbled again, huddling himself against his husband. And as much as Henry loved him, he knew what he was trying. “Alright yah big goof, go get ready,” he said. Gordon gave one last look, hoping it would work. Henry, however, wasn’t having it. Gordon sighed, finally getting out of the bed, leaving a still sleepy Henry.

 

Gordon stumbled into his engine, the early morning air his only companion. Well, for about five seconds. “GORDON, GORDON, HELLOOOOOO!!!” Oh, good grief.

“What do you want Phillip, it’s too early for this,” Gordon groaned. 

“You go to the Little Western right? I know that cause Edward told me. Edward knows so much. I wanna know so much too! I know that you’re blue and he’s blue! Wow-”

“PHILLIP!” Gordon bellowed. Silence followed. “Listen, Phillip, as much as I’d love to humor you, I have work to do. So, unless you have urgent work, I need to get going.”

“Oh alright! There’s a small train of break-vans that needs to head down. If you could take that, it’ll save time and open up a siding,” Phillip replied. Gordon reluctantly agreed and soon, the driver was headed up to Arlesburgh.

 

Henry was in the middle of grabbing some coffee. The morning air was always a delight to take in. He sat in his rocking chair, embracing the silence. Which was abruptly interrupted by the blaring of a ringing phone. Reluctantly he picked up the phone. “Hello?”

“Henry, oh good you’re awake!”

“Duck, oh hi! How was the flight?”

“Irrelevant, how are my babies?!”

“You have kids?”

“My plants Henry!”

“Duck, relax. Gordon headed out about an hour ago to take care of them,”

“Are you sure I can trust Gordon with this?”

“I wouldn’t have vouched for him if I didn’t think he was capable Duck,” Henry finished. Duck grumbled a bit, the jet lag clearly settling in. “Now, if I were you, I’d go get some   
rest,”

“Nooo, I’m awake,”

“Duck, it’s like 3 AM in California, go to bed,” Henry replied. Duck grumbled again before saying a quick goodnight and hanging up the phone. Now, Henry isn’t one to go back on his word. However, Duck had planted a seed of doubt in his mind. Henry briefly looked back at his phone, contemplating. ‘No he’s got this if he can handle a train full of passengers, he can take care of a few plants,’ he thought. But, as a precaution, he set a reminder to check on him.

 

“Okay, so who’s first?” Gordon said. The realm he was in didn’t feel real. He walked into a house but entered a forest. ‘Jesus Christ, there were not this many plants when I came here two days ago,’ he thought. He stumbled through the foyer, reaching the kitchen, with only a few scratches from a rose plant. “I’m gonna lose my mind in the house,” he grumbled. At that moment, the doorbell rang. “Goddammit,” he grumbled, struggling to get through the plants. The doorbell rang again, slowly causing Gordon to lose his temper. He opened the door, glaring at the person at the door. “What do you want?!”

“Alright, alright, no need to be rude, Gordon,” Ryan replied. Gordon sighed.

“Sorry cuz, what’s up?”

“Nothing much, Duck asked me to drop off some stuff for his plants,” Ryan said, motioning to his bag.

“Oh, okay. Uh, would it be too much of a hassle to get some help?” Gordon asked sheepishly. The young adult chuckled.

“Fancy Gordon, asking for help from a little engine,”

“Don’t let it go to your head,” Gordon grimaced, motioning for him to enter.

“Before all that, let’s get you patched up. That rose bush did a number on you,” Ryan stated, pointing at his scars. Gordon sighed, but let Ryan take the lead. Over the course of the next hour, tried to teach Gordon how to care for the plants. But, the attempt proved to be futile. And unfortunately, Ryan had to leave to finish his own jobs.

“Ugh, this is hopeless!” Gordon yelled.

“Don’t give up, plants are really easy to take care of once you get the hang of it! Unfortunately, I can’t stay any longer, I’ve got to help Skiff with some tourists.” Ryan replied. Gordon nodded and showed him to the door. Ryan waved goodbye and left the scenic home. Gordon checked his watch, an hour before he had to pull the express. ‘Okay, I can take a nap to recover before I go out,’ he thought to himself, before collapsing on the couch.

 

“Sir, you wanted to see me?” Henry asked, pulling into the station.

“Ah Henry, have you seen Gordon? The express is due to leave in another 5 minutes and he’s not answering his calls,” Sir Topham Hatt asked.

“Sorry sir, I haven’t heard from him since he left for Arlesburgh,”

“Arlesburgh? What on earth is he doing down there?”

“Duck called in a favor from him, so he’s taking care of his plants,” Henry replied.

“Well, no matter. Since Gordon isn’t here, you’ll have to take the express, I’ve arranged for Neville to take your goods,”

“Right away sir!”

“Oh Henry, one other thing,”

“Yes, sir?”

“If you have a moment, go check on Gordon, it’s not like him to just go missing like that,”

“Of course, I have to pick up goods from the port near there,” Henry finished. Sir Topham smiled and walked into his office. Henry smiled until he was out of sight, his face morphing into a look of concern. “Oh Gordon, what did you do to yourself now?”

“Fuck I’m late!” Gordon yelled. His alarm hadn’t gone off and he was waking up two hours later. He scrambled to get up, tripping over himself. And to add insult to injury, he had fallen face first into the bug repellent on the ground. “AUGH MY EYES!” he screamed, trying to desperately get the chemicals out of his eyes. He wanted to see where he was going, not wanting to ruin the plants and not get hurt in the process. Unfortunately, life had other plans. A loose thorn that had fallen from the rose bush and was now in the path of the stumbling giant. Within seconds, Gordon let out a cry as he fell back onto the couch, trying to nurse the now injured foot. Gordon wanted to stop the pain, his eyes stung, his foot hurt and he was late for work. ‘Oh God, I’m in trouble,’ he thought, the pain slowly draining him. He slowly fell back, trying to see. The exhaustion of the moment finally set in and he faded out. He needed rest, this just a minute

 

Henry pulled into the Arlesburgh, his train clattering in behind him. Daisy was waiting at the platform, a scowl on her face. “Hello Daisy, beautiful evening afternoon, wouldn’t you say”

“Augh, if you can call being held up by a goods train ‘beautiful’ then of course,” Daisy spluttered.

“Well, this train is supposed to help with repairs so your passengers can have a peaceful trip,”

“Doesn’t matter. Passengers are important and they need a beautiful engine such as myself to take them where they need to go,” Daisy finished. Henry was about to retort but decided to change the topic.

“Uh Daisy, can I ask you a question?”

“I suppose. What is it,”

“Have you seen Gordon, he was supposed to come down this way earlier today,”

“Well, I heard his whistle, then he disappeared down one of the lines, I think it was the one towards Duck’s house. After that, I didn’t hear anything,”

“Oh no,”

“What?”

“Gordon’s been gone since this morning, and no one’s been able to contact him,”

“Well, he's probably down that line then. Anyhow, I need to get going, otherwise, I’ll be late,”

“Alright, bye Daisy,”

“Bye Henry,” and the railcar rolled out of the station. Henry’s concerns were reaching a new high. As soon as he shunted the trucks, he went off in search of his missing husband.

 

Gordon was in a state of hysterics. He woke up, remembering the ordeal that had gone down earlier. Waking up late, landing in bug repellent and stepping on a thorn had done a number on the poor man. His face swelled, his foot was bleeding and he was stuck, waiting to be reprimanded by the controller. The stress had finally gotten to him. He wept silently, contemplating how he had gotten into this mess. It wasn’t sadness that was enveloping him, it was the frustration. He was Gordon, the premier passenger engine of Sodor. And he had been defeated by some brambles. Suddenly, he heard the door creak open. He looked up, ready to fight whoever was entering the house.

“Gordon?”

“H-Henry, what are you doing here?”

“Checking up on you? You were supposed to pull the express,”

“‘M sorry,”

“Aww honey, what happened?” Henry asked, helping him back onto the couch.

“Everything's gone wrong. The only reason the plants are even alive is because Ryan came over,” he sniffled through his arms. Henry looked at the sorry sight.

“Look, how about we go home,” he said, hugging him. “You can get ready and take a jog before your evening passenger train, does that sound okay?” Gordon looked at him, trying to compose himself.

“I must look like a mess right now,” he laughed. Henry chuckled, and helped him up. Guiding him out of the house, he brought him back to Knapford, pulling his engine in tow.

 

Gordon was fast asleep but Henry couldn’t. The kipper was due in an hour but the thought of leaving him alone was starting to be a concern to him. The cold air brought him back to his senses. He stared out at the sea, the waves caressing the shore. “Oy matey, what’s troublin’ you?”

“Oh hi Salty, it’s nothing just thinking,” Henry replied.

“Might help to talk about it,” Salty ventured. Henry looked at him, a tired smile on his face.

“You’re not leaving till I tell you, aren’t you,”

“Guilty as charged,”

“Well, it’s Gordon. He’s supposed to take care of Duck’s plants but that led to him crying on the floor when I went to check on him,” Henry sighed, his concerns circulating around him like the fog.

“Gordon? An odd choice but maybe all he needs is a bit of guidance,” Salty poised.

“Duck left him a book on how to take care of them,”

“Henry, we both know Gordon. He means well but he also has a lot of pride,”

“Oh, so I should try and help him?”

“Well, he wouldn’t be a very good husband if he didn't listen to you,” Salty joked. The pair laughed before being interrupted by a guard’s whistle.

“Ah, time to leave. Thanks, Salty, have a good night!” Henry whistled as he left.

“Goodbye, take care!” Salty yelled. 

 

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE GOT HURT TAKING CARE OF MY PLANTS!?!”

“Duck, Jesus Christ, please don’t yell,” Henry sighed.

“How do you get hurt taking care of plants? They are plants, they do nothing but live!” Duck squawked.

“Duck, he’s trying. The rose bush took him out though, so he’s taking a day off from your plants, I’ll drop by and water them,”

“Are you sure you can’t take care of the plants?”

“Sorry Duck, this is the last load of parts for the repairs for the station, I’m not going down there after that,” 

“Alright, but help Gordon out, would you?”

“Rest assured, I’m going to be teaching him a few things before he goes back down to your house,”

“Okay, well I’m off to bed. Goodnight!”

“Goodnight Duck!” The phone clicked, indicating the end of the call.

“Henry, what are you doing?” Gordon asked, entering the living room in his pajamas. Henry laughed and looked at him.

“Put on your overalls, we’ve got some learning to do!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for being gone for a month! Here's a extra long chapter!


	9. Gordon, Duck, and the Weeds Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gordon learns, Duck freaks, Henry is proud

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Gordon asked, his apprehension evident. The recent endeavor of the previous evening had made it clear to all involved in the fiasco that the poor man had had quite enough of the flora of Duck’s house.

“Don’t worry, this will just be another learning experience,” he soothed.

“No offense, dear, but I want nothing to do with those weeds. They’ve spoilt my image,” Gordon continued. Henry turned towards him, a knowing smile on his face. Despite his arrogance, the man could be a real softie.

“Gordon, let me ask this. How badly did those plants hurt your pride,” he questioned. Gordon looked towards him, before covering his face.

“I’ve been defaced by plants,” he muttered in response. Henry laughed, wiping a small tear from his eye.

“Well, don’t you think that learning to take care of them would help put you get back up?” he asked. Gordon stayed silent, nodding a moment later. “Well, now you’ve got to do is learn!” he exclaimed. Gordon grumbled but Henry wasn’t having it. “Come on, yah big goof. You wouldn’t make me strain myself helping you, would you?”

“You’re terrible,” he chuckled and the pair soon set to work. The work in question didn’t take too long. The plants were watered, fertilizer was distributed, and leaves were trimmed. In no time, the work was finished. Gordon wiped his brow and looked at the properly kept flora.

“Well, how bad was that?” Henry teased. Gordon blushed and kissed his cheek.

“Alright, you win. Now, what do we do?”

“Nothing. We’re done for today,”

“Really?” Gordon asked, stunned. The work they put in seemed small compared to the sheer amount of these plants.

“Plants aren’t as fussy as you are. Just give them the bare essentials and they’re good to go,” Henry teased. Gordon snorted and the two soon left to get their own work done. Since receiving Henry’s help, Gordon was able to look after the plants. He got into a rough rhythm of looking after the plants. Each day he would get up, head over to Duck’s house, take care of the plants, and then move on with his day. And things seemed to go smoothly for a few days. That was, until…

“Henry! I need help now!” Gordon shouted over the phone. Henry’s heart stopped and he raced over as quickly as he could. He barreled out of his engine and ran to the door, his hands filled with medical supplies.

“Gordon! What happened? Where are you?” he exclaimed, worriedly.

“I’m over here!” Henry shot into the next room, finding a frustrated Gordon and a very prickly weed. “Look at this bastard, it won’t get out of this poor plant’s pot,” he grumbled. Henry sighed, relieved.

“Gordon, do you know what that is?”

“I know that it’s annoying and I want it gone,”

“Gordon, that’s a weed,” Henry laughed, “Just spray it with some weedkiller,”

“You mean the stuff they use on the ballast?”

“Sort of, we don’t need industrial strength weedkiller. Duck said there was some left in the cabinet,” he replied, “Now, as much as I love you and want to see this, I have to go run a few errands,”

“Can’t you stay a little longer?” Gordon pleaded. Henry smiled, looking at him.

“If you finish early, maybe we could do something fun later,” Henry said, stroking his face. Gordon practically melted under his touch. 

“I guess I could wait a little longer,” he smiled, the two laying down for just a little while.

 

The next few days passed in a blur. Gordon slowly learned the cycle of how to take care of the plants, Henry slowly got less and less involved in the care and Duck’s calls getting less and less frequent. By the end of the week, Gordon’s life had gone mostly back to normal. A few days later, Duck and the Great Western gang had returned. While the others were ready to just recover from the trip, Duck was too anxious to wait any longer. He practically barrelled through the door to see what carnage had befallen his house. To his surprise, he found a Gordon watering his plants and not one leaf out of place. Gordon turned around to see a very tired Duck. “Oh hi Duck, nice to see you,” he said. 

“Oh hi Gordon, I see everything’s in order,” he replied, out of breath.

“Yeah, it’s actually quite nice, taking care of plants,”

“Oh, well, that’s good to hear,”

“Well, since you’re back, I guess you no longer need me here,” Gordon said, placing the watering can down. Duck smiled.

“Thank you, Gordon. I really do appreciate it,” he said quietly. Gordon was lightly stunned. The two were relatively blunt when it came to talking so to hear Duck say that made Gordon feel a little more proud. He smiled and he then walked out. In the weeks that followed, life returned back to normal for everyone. Except for one thing. Gordon now owned a small succubus. He didn’t want to admit it but he liked taking care of plants. Henry would tease him about it every now and again but they both saw the plant as a reminder. A reminder of the growth between Gordon, Duck, and the weeds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiya, sorry for how late this is. I've been real busy with life lately but I'm back! Enjoy the conclusion to this story.


	10. When It Rains

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gordon's home alone with a house intruder.

It was a cool autumn evening. Leaves danced as they fell from the trees and the crisp air carried them wherever it chose. Gordon was always quite fond of the fall. It didn’t bring extreme weather like summer or winter and he could go on walks with Henry, where in spring, he would be incapacitated by allergies. Autumn was, quite simply, perfect. Gordon was sitting in the garden, sipping some tea. Henry had gone out for groceries so he was left alone. He didn’t mind. Being in charge of an express passenger service didn’t leave a lot of time for quiet. He sighed, looking up to the sky. The sun setting and the moon and stars slowly starting to take its place. Dark clouds were also circling around. It added to the effect of it all. It was quiet and serene. Just him and the sky. That was, until:

THUD

Gordon shot up out of his seat. ‘Who made that sound?’ he wondered. Couldn’t have been the neighbors, they hadn’t come yet. Couldn’t be Henry, he was still out at the store. 

THUD

The sound came again. ‘Someone might be trying to break in!’ Gordon thought. He grabbed the rake leaning on the wall and went to investigate. The sound had come from the trash, he crept slowly towards it. He looked at the trash, noticing a small creature moving around. Grabbing his phone, he shined a light on it. The intruder was a small black cat. Gordon sighed with relief, putting the rake down. The cat meowed at Gordon, making the man smile. He had always had a soft for cats. They were calm and dignified creatures, an animal after his own heart. His smile quickly turned to a frown, however. He saw the poor creature had a huge gash in its leg. “Oh you poor thing, I can’t leave you like this,” he cooed. He scooped up the cat and brought it inside. A quick wash and some athletic tape later, the cat had been all fixed up. It now purred softly at Gordon’s feet, causing the big man to practically melt. He lifted the cat up and put him on his lap, the two slowly dozing off to the waning sunlight.

A while later, Henry walked in. His hands were filled to the brim with groceries and it was taking all his energy to not drop them. He stumbled in, slightly overwhelmed. “Gordon! Sweetheart, can I get some help over here?” he called. There was no response. Henry sighed, “He’s probably taking a nap in the living room.” He placed down the groceries, only to be startled by a thunderclap. He looked out the window to see the rain pouring down. “Good thing I made it back before the storm, but where is Gordon?” he wondered. He walked into the living room, only to be greeted by an adorable sight. There, his husband was sleeping with a cat sleeping on his lap. It took all of Henry’s energy not to squeal. Another strike fell, causing the cat to wake from its slumber. “Well hello there little one, how nice of you to keep him company while I’m gone,” he cooed. He picked the cat up and then walked over to Gordon. “Oh Gordon, guess who’s home?” he whispered. A groggy Gordon woke up to see hi husband next to him.

“Hey honey, when did you get back?”

“Only a few minutes ago, but I was greeted by the oddest thing,” he said. He then put the cat back onto Gordon’s lap. Gordon flushed with embarrassment.

“Oh him- I mean it. It merely wandered in, nothing to see her-“ he was cut off by a kiss.

“There’s no need to be embarrassed, it’s cute knowing you like cute things.”

“Well, that’s why I’m married to you,” Gordon replied. Henry laughed, then brought his attention back to the cat.

“So, what are we calling him?”

“Y-you mean you want to keep him?” Gordon asked softly.

“If little guy over here makes you happy, then, of course, we can keep him,” Gordon’s heart practically leaped out of his chest. He pulled Henry down on to the chair, kissing him.   
They sunk into cushions, happiness ringing through the downpour. The kiss broke apart, and the pair looked at the cat who had gone back to sleep.

“What about Fern?” Gordon said after a while. Henry looked at Gordon and then at the cat. The cat was staring at them, it’s emerald eyes shining in the light.

“I think Fern sounds lovely,” Henry said at last. And with that, Henry, Gordon and Fern went off to sleep, the sound of the rain lulling them to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made this as an afterthought to GDatW so here's that

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Any feedback? Leave a comment below!


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